The Motor Forum

Turbonutter · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:35 am Post subject: Autocar 1st July

Not a bad issue today

Audi R8 V10 road test as mentioned in the other thread

The old 'Half Price Heroes' article - I quite enjoy seeing what they pick for your cash even though there is scant info or justification and some "interesting" 'what to look for tips'.

For £2.5k - Clio 172
5k - S2000 ( didn't realise they were that cheap now! ) or Megane 225
10k Jag S-Type R or 350Z
20k 996 Carrera 2 or RS6

No limit F550 or R8

Take the Focus RS to meet SVE's Rod Mansfield ( retired now but an interesting bloke )

First verdict on the 'Vette ZR1

....and the Fiat 500 has become the first Fiat model to sell more outside Italy than inside the country

Turbonutter · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:55 am Post subject:

....and further to the Vette ZR1.....

The GT2 having disposed of little brother in the form of the Z06 takes on the ZR1

http://www.autocar.co.uk/VideosWa...rs/Videos.aspx?AR=241212&CT=V

Guitar Zero · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:47 pm Post subject:

Steve Crapley's piece on the S-type R wasn't very accurate or informative

Road tax is £405 a year

Errr no it isn't. If your S-Type R was registered before March 23rd 2006, it's £215 and only if it was registered on or after the 23rd is it £405. From April 2010 it jumps to £245 and £435 respectively

The 20 inch tyres are expensive

Errr - the S-type R never came with 20 inch wheels. The tyres are 18 inch as standard until the 2007 MY cars which were fitted with the 19 inch Barcelona wheel (as shown on the 05 plate car pictured, thus most probably retro fitted).

I don't recall any mention of the gearbox and handbrake troubles on the early models, or the fact that the brakes are stonkingly expensive. This is the important stuff you need to know, not made up crap about road tax and tyres.

In fact, did Crapper's write the article at all ?, or is it something the tea boy knocked up whilst Steve was busy blowing his wad up the side of his Honda Inshite ?

Next year. They should just have a page full of pictures with the caption " Here are some pictures - fuck off and do your own research "
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Previous convictions :

2006 Focus ST 2.5
2001 BMW 520i
2002 Focus 2.0 zetec
1999 Fiat Punto

"him" · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:52 pm Post subject:

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:08 pm Post subject:

Twelfth Monkey · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:11 pm Post subject:

...and alas there's something horribly Knight Rider about American sports cars, doubly so in black. I'd die of embarrassment behind the wheel.

Doesn't all the hoo ha about 'nothing at the price comes close on performance' rather ignore the GT-R?
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"Accident Blackspot"? These aren't accidents. They're throwing themselves into the road gladly. Throwing themselves into the road to escape all this hideousness.'

Guitar Zero · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:26 pm Post subject:

That's what I was thinking, but I assume that the Vette will bust the ton in under 8 seconds and the gap between it and the Nissan just widens further above 100mph. On that basis, you could argue the ZR1 is in another performance league. (Incidentally, the R8 V10 is matches the GT-R to 100 mph and 150 mph if you take the figures from the other magazine and that costs less than the Vette too)

It looks quite good outside but the interior beggars belief and I struggle to see where they get the £108k figure from - it's not as if the engine is anything like as jewel like and complex as the Lambo/Audi unit and they've obviously spent nothing on the interior.
_________________
Previous convictions :

2006 Focus ST 2.5
2001 BMW 520i
2002 Focus 2.0 zetec
1999 Fiat Punto

Gurney · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:37 pm Post subject:

I sat in a ZR1 whilst waiting for the GTA to be serviced, Bauer Millett imports all that kind of stuff.

Interior was pretty damned dire. Haven't seen plastics like those for a good while. At the time I didn't realise it was £100k, I had £55-65K in my head for some reason.
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A Gentleman: Def: A male of the species who can play the Trombone.

But refrains from doing so.

Twelfth Monkey · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:43 pm Post subject:

As Peets says, where does the money go?
_________________
"Accident Blackspot"? These aren't accidents. They're throwing themselves into the road gladly. Throwing themselves into the road to escape all this hideousness.'

Guitar Zero · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:44 pm Post subject:

Z06 and ZR1 are largely carbon fibre aren't they ? - which must account for a good deal of the cost.

But I wouldn't be happy paying £60k for that interior, never mind £108k.

I don't understand why the interior is so awful - I can only think it's done on purpose to convince Americans that every dollar has been spent to benefit performance.
_________________
Previous convictions :

2006 Focus ST 2.5
2001 BMW 520i
2002 Focus 2.0 zetec
1999 Fiat Punto

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:50 pm Post subject:

The 'Vette reminds me of low-volume British sportscars. You get extraordinary performance in comparison to anything at a similar price, but you have to accept that in all other respects, the car is a bit of a lash-up. The trouble is that the GT-R now gives you the performance, but in a properly engineered car where they actually finished the job before putting it on sale.

And while the ZR1 might have slightly more top-end performance than the Nissan, I can't imagine any scenario where it would give a measurable advantage. The idea of paying 100k for the ZR1 when you could have a full-spec GT-R for under 60 is faintly comical.

David Yu has been posting some nonsense about the 'Vette on the EVO forum; reckons it's better in almost every respect than a Ferrari 599 ...

Gurney · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:55 pm Post subject:

I have my reservations about the Nissan but £55k for that or £108 for the Vette.

Let me think for a nanosecond...
_________________
A Gentleman: Def: A male of the species who can play the Trombone.

But refrains from doing so.

Guitar Zero · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:04 pm Post subject:

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:12 pm Post subject:

I was thinking lower volume than that - Noble, Farbio, Invicta, etc.

gonnabuildabuggy · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:17 pm Post subject:

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:20 pm Post subject:

Guitar Zero · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:22 pm Post subject:

God knows

If they turn a profit, it must be relatively small - but do you reckon the GT-R would sell for £75k ?
_________________
Previous convictions :

2006 Focus ST 2.5
2001 BMW 520i
2002 Focus 2.0 zetec
1999 Fiat Punto

Guitar Zero · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:15 pm Post subject:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/241281/

Knackers to the Vette
_________________
Previous convictions :

2006 Focus ST 2.5
2001 BMW 520i
2002 Focus 2.0 zetec
1999 Fiat Punto

Racing · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:46 pm Post subject:

It was the 550 Maranello that my attention was focused on. I really like them.
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Twelfth Monkey · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:56 pm Post subject:

If the 3.5s is accurate, it's simply stunning. .3 off the F1, which had more power and torque and much, much less weight. The GT-R is getting on for Veyron-tubby. Electronics, 4wd and a frippery gearbox seem to be able to work minor miracles.

Have there been any more reports about GT-Rs lunching their drivetrains if launch mode is used with any frequency?
_________________
"Accident Blackspot"? These aren't accidents. They're throwing themselves into the road gladly. Throwing themselves into the road to escape all this hideousness.'

"him" · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 1:01 pm Post subject:

Blarno · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 1:14 pm Post subject:

I still can't bring myself to like the GTR. I never liked the Skyline, and the GTR is just Skyline+.

Too much focus on technology and FG, rather than mechanical engineering. It won't be reliable forever and I feel sorry for the third or fourth owner who's pockets are going to be deeply, deeply raped when it all goes tits up.

Regardless of the willy waving and pub-bore stats, it holds no appeal to me whatsoever.
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It's time to kick ass and chew bubblegum....And I'm all out of gum.

Mark · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 1:32 pm Post subject:

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:09 pm Post subject:

Turbonutter · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:41 pm Post subject:

franki68 · Petrolhead Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 2243

Twelfth Monkey · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 4:29 pm Post subject:

I thought sub-4 0-60 only happened with launch control, and that when the magazine tested it without it was still very quick, but not as quick.
_________________
"Accident Blackspot"? These aren't accidents. They're throwing themselves into the road gladly. Throwing themselves into the road to escape all this hideousness.'

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 3:35 pm Post subject:

Autocar's road test figures for the (UK spec) GT-R were 3.8 to 60 and 8.5 to 100.

Giant · Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:02 pm Post subject: Re: Autocar 1st July

Matt · Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:15 pm Post subject:

Rant justified!
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Small car, big heart.

Giant · Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:42 pm Post subject:

I dont know why it has irritated me so much, I even considered emailing them my rant! I haven't done, yet!
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Frankie Boyle for Prime Minister!

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:49 pm Post subject:

You'd have to use CAPITALS if you did!